Match box



March` 25 1924:

L.s.MooRE MATCH `Box Fiied Feb. 12,

Patented lidar. 25', i924.

LEWIS S. MOORE, OF MINNEAPOLXS, MINNESOTA..

FIATCH BOX.

Application filed February 12, 1923.

To all whom t may come/m Be it known that l, Lnwrs Si. Mooier., acitizen of the United States, residingr at Minneapolis, in the county ofHennepinand State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and usefulimprovements in Match Boxes; and l do hereby declare the following to bea full7 clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

My invention relates to match boxes of the type disclosed'and broadlyclaimed in my co-pending application filed Nov. 10, 1921, under SerialNumber 514,233, and has for its object to improve the same in theseveral particulars hereinafter noted.

To the above end, generally stated, theV invention consistsof t-he noveldevices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined inthe claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention', likecharacters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the improved match box;

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section taken on the line 2 2' of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a. fragmentary view correspond ing to Fig. 2 with theexception that certain parts have been moved into different positions;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the back plate and parts carriedthereby;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the box filled with matches;

F ig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the lower end portionof the box;

Fig. 7 is a view principally in horizontal section taken on the line 7 7of Fig. 1. on an enlarged scale; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective View of the feed blade.

The numeral 9 indicates a sheet metal back plate, the lower end portionof which is folded outward upon itself and laterally spaced to afford apocket 10 having open sides. Box capping flanges 11 are lafforded byturning the vertical and top edge portions of the back plate 9 outwardat right angles. The ends of thetop capping flange 11 terminate short ofthe side capping flanges 11 to afford notches 12, for a purpose thatwill presently appear. The lower portions of the Serial No. 618,676.

end portions of the side capping flanges 11 extend across the upper endportions of the open sides of the pocket 10 and are folded onto theouter face thereof and soldered or otherwise rigidly secured thereto tofirmly hold the upper upturned portion of the back plate 9 and reinforcethe outer upper end pocket 10 to afford hinge lugs 13. Y

An open back sheet metal box or receptacle 14 for matches m is removablyapplied to the back plate 9 within the capping flanges 11 and normallyclosed thereby. The hopper bottom 15 of the box 14 terminates short ofthe back plate 9 to afford a narrow match escape passageway 16, and saidhopper bottom is so arranged as to direct the matches toward the. backplate 9 and over the match escape passageway 16. The sides of the box 14are extended below the hopper bottom 15 and have formed therein V-shapedhinge notches 17 arranged to receive the hinge lugs 13 and hingedly andremovably support the box 14 for swinging movement to and from aposition in which the open back thereof is closed by the back plate 9.

The top 18 of the box 14 is upwardly in clined, and free from the sidesof said box to permit said top to be sprung under the top capping flange11 during the closing of the box 14 and lock the same closed with ayielding pressure. During this closing of the box 14 the sides thereofenter the notches Y 12. It will be noted that the inner edges of thehinge notches 17 are beveled to form cams 19 for engagement with theinner faces of the hinge lugs 13 and move said box rearward against theback plate 9 during the closing thereof.

The sides of the box 14, forward of the hinge notchesl?, vare bentlaterally toward each other, as best shown in Fig. 5, to afford matchholders 20 at the top of the pocket 10. It will be noted that thesematch holders 2O are endwise spaced and made transversely convex toreceive and hold a match, removed from the box 14 as will present-lyappear7 in a position in which it may be easily grasped at itsintermediate portion between the thumb and forefinger. The inner edgeportions of the holders 20 are substantially flush with the top of thepocket 10 and are closely positioned in respect thereto.

The match escape passageway 16 is nor mally closed by an escapement 21loosely Sagewav pivoted on ra lixed rod 22 which extends through boresin they depending sides of' the boX 14 Substantially above the hingenotches 17. The Outer projecting ends of the escapement 21 are bentlaterally at into depressed seats 2a and hold the rod against endwisemovement. and which seats hold said rod' from turning. A leaf spring' 25secured to the hopper bottom 15 bears against the esca-.pement 21 andyieldingly holds the same in a position to normally close thc matchescapement passagewavl as shown in Fig. 2. To more the eseapement 21into a position to open the passageway 16 and remove a single match at atime troni the boX 14, there is mounted in the pocket 10 a feed blade26, the upper end portion of which is 'folded upon itself and thenlaterally rearward to 'form a match-supporting ledge 27. The feed blade26 is operated by a bail 28 pivoted to the side capping flanges 11 andconnected by arms 29 to said feed bladel by a'rod 30 mounted in a pairet ears 31 on t-he lower corners of said 'feed blade and working in theopen sides ot the poclret 10.

To remove a match from the box 14 the bail 28 is first raised projectthe feed blade 26 and thereby. with a striking action on the escapeinent21, lock the same into an inoperative position against the tension ofthe spring 25 and then enter the boi: 14 through the passageway 16 andpick up one of the matches onV its shoulder 27, as shown in Fig. S. A.return movement oit the bail 28 will retract the feed blade 26, and asthe same moves past the escapement 21. said escapement is again returnedto normal position bv the spring 25 to close the pas- 16. A pair oi" camlingers 32 pressed from the bach plate 9. between the pocket 10 andescapement 21. intercept the match on the shoulder 27. and as the feedblade 26 n'iovesbelow said fingers. the match held thereon is directedonto the holders 20. Notches 33 are termed in the shoulder Y27 to affordclearance Jfor the cam lingers 32.

rlhe face of the pocket 10 is rougheued, b v pressing' the saine, toafford a striking surface 341 on which the matches may be lighted.pertur'es 35 in the baclr plate 9 are arranged to interlock the nails 36driven into a wall or other support 37 to support the matchbox. As iswell known` matches are held in the boXcs in which they are packedby a`cardboard strip. the ends ot which are bent laterally7 and extendedinto the box at the ends thereof. ln lling the match box 14e. thematches are poured thereinfrom their original container and thecardboard strip used in holding; the same in place is used in holding4the matches in the box 14. as shown inY Fig. 5. while the same isbeingattached to the back plate 9. This cardboard strip is indicated bv thecharacter y, and the lower end thereof in- Vto limit the lifting' sertedbetween the matches and the bottom of the box 14, and the other endthereof is ett projected above said bor; so that theV same may bewithdrawn just before the top 18 is sprung unc er the top cappingilangje 11. Y

l,Vhat l claim is: Y

1. In a match boi the combination with a bach plate having top and sidecapping flanges, oit a box having an open bach, a separable hingesuportinn the box tor swinging movement to and from a position in whichit is closed by the back plate and held ,by the capping flanges, the topof the boi: being adapted to be sprung under the top of the cappingflange tov hold the box closed and the members or" the separable hingeinterlocked, and a feed blade for removing matches from the box. Y

2. ln a match box the combination with a back4 plate havingV top andside capping flanges and a pocket in its lower portion, of a box havingran open back, said box having notches in its sides to receive theupperedge ot the front of the pocket to hingedljv connect said box theretofor swinging movement to and from a position in which it is closed bythe back plate and held by the capping flanges, the top of the box beingadapted to be sprung under the top capping Hanne to hold the boxclosed,Y and 'afeed blade mounted in the pocket for removing matchesfrom the box..

3.111 a match box thecombination with a back plate having top and sidecapping flanges, the bottom portion of said back plate being foldedoutward upon itsel to afford a pocket, of aboX having an open back, saidbox having notches in itssides to receive theupper edge of the front ofthe pocket to hingedly connect said box thereto for swinging movement toand from a position in which it is closed bv the back plate and held b vthe capping flanges, the top of theV box being adapted to be sprungVunder the top capping dannato hold the box closed, and va feedblademounted in the pocket for removing matches from the box. 'l

4. rlhev structure defined in claim 3 in which the upturned portion ofthe back plate is attached tothe side cappingrlanges.

ms.V

5. rlhe structure defined in claim 3 inV which the notches have camsurfacesl arranged to move the box towardvthe back plate during theclosing thereof.

6. The structure dened in claim 3 in which the side capping fiangesafford stops movement of the `feed blade. Y 'v 7. l'na match box thecombination with a back plate, a box having an open back, means forholding: the boi; in a position in which it is Vclosed Vby the backplate, the sides of the box being turned toward each other to affordmatch holders, the lower portion oiP the front of the box being turnedinward to afford an inclined bottom spaced above said match holders, anda feed blade for removing matches from the box and delivering the sameto said holders.

8. In a match box the combination 'with a back plate, a box having anopen back, means for holding the box in a position in which it is closedby the back plate, the sides of the back plate being extended below thebottom of the box and turned toward each other to alord match holders,said box having in its bottom a match escape passageway, a hinge rodextending through the depending sides of the box and bent laterally intodepressed seats in the outer face of said sides, an escapement looselypivoted on the hinge rod, a spring operative on the eseapement and understrain to hold the same in a position to close said passageway, and afeed blade arranged to operate the escapement to open said passagewayand remove a match from the box.

In ,testimony whereof l affix my signature.

LEWJS S. MOORE.

